Posted Mon Sep 04 00:59:00 EAT 2017

Jkuat to earn big from laptop sales to new students

The Taifa Laptop during it's launch at The Norfolk Hotel on June 12, 2015. New students joining Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology must buy the gadget at
Sh41,498. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By OUMA WANZALA

In Summary

Of the 4,994 students, the university will make more than Sh207 million as the laptop is going for Sh41,498.

Fresh students are each required to pay for a laptop.

The new students are required to pay their first instalment of Sh22,000 this semester and clear the balance next semester.

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A public university is once again set to make hundreds of millions of shillings from new students through its controversial laptop programme.

The 4,994 first-years under the government sponsored programme are set to report to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat) on Monday to the start of their academic year.

Fresh students are each required to pay for a laptop.

Last year, there was a push and pull between the administration and parents over the Taifa laptop with many parents claiming that they were not getting value for their money.

Of the 4,994 students, the university will make more than Sh207 million as the laptop is going for Sh41,498.

“It’s a requirement that all new students should have a laptop,” said an admission letter from the university seen by Nation.

INTEGRATED ICT

However, Jkuat explained that it has integrated ICT in all its courses and some of the courses will be taught and examined on-line therefore the need for the gadget.

“You will therefore need a laptop to facilitate on-line teaching and examination. The university has put in place provisions for students to acquire high end Taifa laptops at an affordable price of Sh41,498 payable in two instalments without charging interest,” added the letter.